TV star Justin Ryan discovered his late dad was a hero after a chance encounter with the man whose life he saved.

The design guru only learned of his father Daniel’s heroics when he bumped into Scot Speedy McLean and his wife in a remote Canadian town.

Justin, 45, was speechless when Speedy told him his dad had dragged him out of a pond in Fort William 76 years ago.

The Sunday Mail columnist said:“Finding out my dad was a real-life hero was emotional and surreal. It came right out of the blue. No one had ever mentioned it before.

“If Colin and I had not accidentally ended up in that town on that day, I would never have found out.

“My dad died 14 years ago from a heart attack at 78. Discovering somethingamazing about him has given me somenew, exciting memories.”

Justin and Colin, 44, who are massivestars in Canada and have a home in Toronto, met Speedy in the tiny town of Port Hope.

Justin, whose dad ran a chain ofbookmakers for 33 years, said: “We hadbeen driving around looking for a place tostay and stumbled upon Port Hope.

“We went into a cafe for breakfast and became aware of two sets of eyes peeringfixedly at us from a table at the far side ofthe room.

“We tried not to stare back but eventually I went over and asked them whether they were fans of our Canadian design show. That’s when they dropped the bombshell about my dad.”

Justin, who grew up in Fort William with his brother and two sisters, added: “The man told me his name was Speedy McLean and, ifit wasn’t for my father, he wouldn’t be alive.

“He told me that, when he was a boy in Fort William, he took a tumble into a deep murky pond. Fortunately my dad, who was anapprentice electrician, was leaving a nearby factory and spotted the commotion.

“My dad tore off his jacket, dived into the icy waters and pulled him out. He then brought him round, saving his life.”

At first, Justin did not believe Speedy as he felt sure he would have known. But, after phoning his mum Claire, 84, he found out it was true.

He said: “She told me my dad was only 16 at the time and, as a humble man, didn’t want to make a big deal of it.”

Justin, whose dad was a councillor and rotary club president, said he was so flustered he forgot to take a photo of the couple, who emigrated to Canada four decades ago.

He said: “I was so taken aback. We chatted for a while and left without getting their address or taking a photo. It was just so emotional.

“In a country of 34million people, in a town upon which we happened quite by accident, we sailed into Ryan history. A moment earlier or later, we might never have met the McLeans.”